Myths and Legends of the World

Sheol

According to Hebrew tradition, Sheol—which means the pit—was
a realm beneath the earth where the spirits of the dead resided. It was in
many ways the opposite of the world of the living. While light shone on
the earth, darkness veiled Sheol. On earth the living had solid bodies,
but in Sheol the dead existed as shadows.

The souls of all people went to Sheol, regardless of their behavior during
life. As a result, it was not considered a place of punishment for
wickedness. In fact, a person who was properly mourned by his relatives
after death was believed to join his ancestors in Sheol. In some accounts
the souls in Sheol slept, while in others they experienced hopelessness or
fear.